Ergan: Winter Valley Wolves #5 by V. Vaughn, Mating Season Collection Page B

Somewhere in the middle of it, the heat of Ergan’s seed explodes in me, and as it coats my insides, it’s as if a part of him seeps into my very being. And I sink into oblivion.
    His tongue is rough against my skin as he laps at my wound. I melt under his careful attention. My mate asks, “Are you okay?”
    “I’m not sure. I’m still in orbit.”
    Ergan chuckles. “Crash back down and be with me, baby.”
    I reach up and place my hand on his cheek. His morning stubble is prickly, and I move my hand down to let it scrape my palm. “I’ll always be with you, Ergan. And if anyone tries to take you away, they’ll have to kill me first.” The weight of my gun in my hand comes to mind, but I push it away quickly when I realize I no longer need a gun.
    “Ah, my true bloodthirsty mate. Just wait until you shift for the first time. You’re going to love this.”

Chapter 13
    W ithin hours of my becoming a werewolf and completing the true mate bond with Ergan, he announces that I will be attending his family’s Labor Day barbecue. I’ve just finished cleaning the kitchen, and I walk over to sit on the couch with him. I grab a throw pillow to hold in my lap and ask, “Wait. What if I shift by accident? Wouldn’t that be like a major fail in front of my in-laws-to-be?”
    “Hmmm, and my brothers. Because when you shift back, you’ll be naked.” I glance at him in horror, and he grins back. “Kidding.”
    “Seriously.” I stroke the velour fabric, imagining what my first shift might feel like.
    Ergan removes the pillow from my clutches and takes my hand. “You have to focus to shift. Would you like to try it now?”
    I nod as he stands. He pulls me up, and I freeze. “Wait.” He gazes at me, and I hunch up my shoulders as I ask, “Will it hurt?”
    “No. I’m sure it will be strange for you, but it doesn’t hurt.”
    I sigh in relief. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
    He tugs me along by my hand, and we go out my front door. I glance around at the dirt driveway and woodlands that surround the area. It’s as if nothing happened, but everything has changed.
    Ergan lifts his shirt over his head, and I do the same. When I’m standing naked across from the man I love, I start to giggle. “I feel ridiculous.”
    My mate’s gaze scans my body. “That’s not how you look.” He winks at me.
    I glance at the pile of our clothes. “I should install some hooks out here.”
    “Naw.” Ergan takes my hand, and I notice it no longer sears me, although the touch still races right to my heart. “I’ve got plenty of hooks at my house.”
    Is he suggesting I move in with him? “Oh.”
    He leans down and kisses me quickly. “I am.”
    “What?”
    “I heard what you thought.”
    “Oh my god. That part’s true too?”
    “Yes.”
    I squeal. “That’s so cool.”
    “You ready to shift?”
    I nod.
    Ergan says, “I’ll be able to talk to you when you’re a wolf, so if anything scares you, just tell me.”
    I’m trembling with nerves. “I need to get this over with before I chicken out.”
    “Okay. Focus on the wolf inside you as you walk in a circle like this.” He paces in a tight ring the way a dog does to make his bed comfortable. When he stops, he asks, “Ready?”
    I copy his motions and search for the beast within me. A low rumble I’m not conscious of creating comes from my throat, and it’s almost as if a part of me feels trapped. I picture my arms and legs growing hair, and when the impact of my hands landing on the ground radiates through my arms, I realize they’re actually legs.
    The world around me is so vibrant that it almost quivers with color, and I can see details on the trees that are as if I’m looking at things with a microscope. Ergan communicates with me. “Look at your paws. You’re gorgeous.”
    I glance down at the detail of my fur. I’m various shades of gray, and it is beautiful. “Oh, Ergan. You did good.”
    “C’mon.”
    He takes off in a slow trot, and I follow. We